1. An epic simile can be defined as ______. (1 point)
a comparison that describes the epic hero
an extended comparison that uses like or as
a comparison that uses lofty words and imposing language
an extended comparison that says that one entity is something else
2. In Betty Bonham Lies’s retelling of the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, how is the narrator’s description of
Orpheus’s music an example of hyperbole? (1 point)
The narrator retells old myths about Orpheus’s powers.
The narrator exaggerates the effects of Orpheus’s music.
The narrator compares Orpheus’s music to the sound of rivers.
The narrator attributes human characteristics to animals and objects.
3. Which of the following character traits most hinders Odysseus’s journey back home? (1 point)
his honor
his courage
his curiosity
his cunning
4. In Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado,” the literary device of foreshadowing is used when
Montresor tells Fortunato (1 point)
“You are a man to be missed.”
“A draught of this Medoc will defend us from the damps.”
“You were not to be found, and I was fearful of losing a bargain.”
“You are rich, respected, admired, beloved; you are happy as once I was.”
5. "The Most Dangerous Game" exposes the dark side of which of the following characters? (1 point)
Whitney and General Zaroff
Rainsford and Whitney
General Zaroff and Rainsford
Richard Connell and Ivan
6. Which poetic device is used in line 10 of Poe’s “The Raven,” “surcease ofsorrow—sorrow for the lost
Lenore”? (1 point)
assonance
repetition
alliteration
all of the above
7. "The Morning ofJune 28, 1948" reveals that Jackson's agent and the general public (1 point)
tried to censor the story.
loved the story.
disliked the story.
defended the story.
8. Which of the following best characterizes an unreliable narrator? (1 point)
embittered tone
detailed characterization
allusion to familiar events and people
unsupported and exaggerated statements
9. In which of the following resides the irony in the short stories “The Gift of the Magi” and “The Necklace”?
(1 point)
The protagonists value objects more than people.
The protagonists want to escape their low socialstatus.
The protagonists struggle for something that proves to be useless.
The protagonists learn to value hard work and loyalty instead of wealth.
10. Which of the following stock characters is not included in "The Lottery"? (1 point)
dutiful citizen
innocent child
11. What is the main connotation of hard work in Marge Piercy’s poem “To Be of Use”? (1 point)
struggle and exhaustion
dignity and gratification
simplicity and usefulness
exploitation and rebellion
12. The laborers’ song in Walt Whitman’s “I Hear America Singing” is a symbolfor (1 point)
the laborers’ everyday struggle.
the laborers’ fundamental unity.
the laborers’ need for redemption.
the laborers’ bitterness for their condition.
13. The tone of Marge Piercy’s and Walt Whitman’s poems can best be described as ______. (1 point)
ironic
hopeful
celebratory
contemplative
14. Which of the following statements with regard to Edgar Allan Poe’s poetry is not true? (1 point)
"The Cask of Amontillado" takes place during the carnivalseason in Italy.
Annabel Lee is a beloved dead maiden.
Poe's poems are known for the way in which they avoid conventional poetic techniques.
“The Raven” uses repetition to create a dramatic effect.
15. _____ is the repetition of a consonant sound or sounds at the beginning of a series of words. (1 point)
Onomatopoeia
Alliteration
Consonance
Assonance
16. Which of the following shows the correct parenthetical citation from page 30 of an article in the July
1999 issue of Starburst magazine called "I Robot," written by Melissa J. Perenson? (1 point)(I Robot 30)
(Starburst 30)
(Perenson 30)
("I Robot," Starburst 30)
Grammar and Writing
17. One of the girls left ____ tennis shoes in the gym. (1 point)
her
hers
their
them
18. Sandra went to the movies with David and ____ . (1 point)
me
I
we
they
19. Both Steve and Gabriel have finished ____ homework. (1 point)
their
his or her
his
they're
20. Gabriel and ____ are repairing my father's car. (1 point)
he
him
me
us
Identify the sentence in which the underlined verb does NOT agree with its subject for questions 23–24.
21. (1 point)
Neither of the twins are interested in sports.Both of them have many other activities.
One of their cousins is a professional hockey player.
Everyone enjoys watching him play.
22. (1 point)
The books on this table are all about ancient Rome.
Most of this document are written in Latin.
Nick and Barry are studying the history of weather forecasting.
There is nothing in these books about climate.
Identify the degree of comparison of the underlined word for questions 25–26.
23. This new magazine about computers is very colorful. (1 point)
positive
comparative
superlative
none of the above
24. The article on Web design is longer than the one on games. (1 point)
positive
comparative
superlative
none of the above
Identify the word that has an error in capitalization for questions 27–28.
25. Esther studied drama at Yale University. (1 point)
drama
Yale
University
no error
26. During World war II, my aunt lived in Hollywood. (1 point)
World
war
auntno error
Identify the INCORRECTLY punctuated sentence for questions 29–30.
27. (1 point)
Fred slipped on the ice, spraining his finger, and his wrist.
He cannot take part in the bowling tournament, but he is going anyway.
He can hand out tickets, organize teams, and keep scores.
Fred will lend his bowling ball and his team shirt to Caitlin.
28. (1 point)
This historic stone building is in need of renovation.
The door is hanging by its rusty iron hinge.
The lime, green walls have not been painted in fifty years.
The dark drafty rooms are not very inviting.
On a Works Cited page, which of the following should NOT be in italics?
29. (1 point)
title of an essay
title of an book
title of a magazine
title of a play
Identify the correctly punctuated sentence in each group for questions 32–33.
30. (1 point)
Who borrowed Celeste biology books?
Who borrowed Celeste's biology books?
Who borrowed Celestes' biology books?
none of the above
31. (1 point)
The detective said Time is of the essence.
The detective said, "Time is of the essence."
The detective said "Time is of the essence".none of the above
Choose the best answer for questions 34–45.
32. What is the best topic sentence for an article about whether or not certain genes play a favorable role in
human evolution? (1 point)
"Jumping genes," or transposable elements, are DNA sequences that have the ability to
replicate and move from one chromosome to another.
Nobel laureate Barbara McClintock first reported this phenomenon in 1951, but few other
scientists believed her findings at the time.
Jumping genes have the unsavory reputation of causing genetic mutation or cancerous cell
growth.
Challenging the notion that jumping genes are "junk" genes, recent biologicalresearch
suggests that they may actually play a major role in evolution, including human evolution.
33. If you wished to make an explicit comparison of two dissimilar things without using like or as, you would
use a ____. (1 point)
simile
metaphor
cliché
literal comparison
34. Which of the following would NOT always require a citation in a research paper? (1 point)
quotation of a phrase
quotation of a sentence
thesis statement
sentence paraphrased from a book
35. Which of the following parenthetical citations is placed and punctuated correctly? (1 point)
The only casualty on Lewis and Clark's trip died from appendicitis (Davis 104).
(Davis, 104) Kenneth Davis explains that the only casualty on Lewis and Clark's trip died
from appendicitis.
The only casualty on Lewis and Clark's trip died from appendicitis. (Davis 104)
The only casualty on Lewis and Clark's trip (Davis 104) died from appendicitis.
36. A ____ includes all the works an author consulted but did not necessarily cite in the actualreport.
(1 point)works cited page
bibliography
footnote
parenthetical citation
37. Which of the following is a specific word as opposed to a general word? (1 point)
mammal
praying mantis
reptile
amphibian
38. Choose the topic that best limits the broad subject, architecture. (1 point)
famous architects
historic building in Europe
modern architectural marvels
the history of the Golden Gate Bridge
Vocabulary
39. Use your knowledge of prefixes and suffixes to determine the meaning of the underlined word in the
sentence below.
The author mercifully decided to dignify the interviewer's silly queston with a response. (1 point)
award
make worthy
misunderstand
ignore completely
40. Which of the following is the most negative connotation of the word inactive? (1 point)
lazy
unhurried
sedentary
unenergetic
41. Which of the following is the denotation of the word ambitious? (1 point)
power-hungrydriven and successful
determined to succeed
greedy and materialistic
42. Use context clues to determine the meaning of the underlined word in the sentence below.
An umpire should be impartial , showing no preference for either team. (1 point)
enthusiastic
fair
businesslike
cold
43. Which prefix would you add to the noun Colonialism to make the word meaning "after the period of
Colonialism"? (1 point)
postantepremid-